Thursday’s Forum
Steven L. Taylor
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Thursday, February 20, 2025
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61 comments
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About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a retired Professor of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored
A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog).
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BlueSky.
1 month in and I’d say Musk and Trump are still in the driver’s seat. They continue to drive the narratives of their choosing at their timing. It looks like the scripted playbook is complete but will be repeated in other areas of the Government and against other allies. You will know the right people are in charge when $Trusk are responding to stimuli outside of their script. Right now the response playbook from Dems are simply rehashes of Maga-developed influence vectors (e.g. egg prices). Vectors only have so-much mileage and rehashes even less. True to form, Dems have no everyday resonating vectors that can undermine the confidence of soft Republican voters. For instance # of Farmer bankruptcies since January 20. I see the new DNC chair is supposedly pushing the Party to get out of DC and meet voters. Great mover, if used to also discover, test, and bulletproof lines of attack. Trust me–Price of Eggs does not make it to Fox and in GOP congressmen’s mouths by accident or guessing. 80% of influence peddling is saying what people are thinking. You have no idea what they are thinking if aren’t on the street. I’ll have a better idea if Martin is the real deal over the next 90 days.
By now, it should be clear who in Congress is really up to compete in this environment and who are legacy talking heads their for the insider trading and prestige. I saw yesterday that Schumer was threatened with an investigation– I wonder if he’s still looking for areas of bipartisan solutions and common ground?
Voters should continue contacting their representatives and make clear they want new leadership if the current ones aren’t up for the task at hand. Being a Senator or House member comes with an incredible amount of prestige, status, and attention most of these people can get nowhere else. Many will simply try to survive and keep their seats–regardless of what happens in the real world–if allowed to. Chuck Grassley is trial ballooning ‘Hey, these are Executive Branch decisions– we can’t do anything’ We’ll see if Republicans in Congress can pull that bait and switch off if the rumored DOD firings start.
If we take the $55B “savings” that Musk and the Muskrats have allegedly found as true… that’s a 1.25 Twitters, where a Twitter is roughly what Elon Musk will spend on a whim that he immediately regrets, but which doesn’t affect his total money in the slightest.
I think he could pay more taxes.
@Jim X 32: It’s funny but I have no clue what drives “the people” these days. I cannot understand nor cope with the irrationality and ignorance and cluelessness of the majority of Americans these days. Everyday it is “What the hell are you talking about”? with so many people. My cares and concerns are not theirs. I rage at my Senators and Congressman on defense and Ukraine but not sure that matters any more.
Maybe I need anti-depressants.
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ldb6hx3aef2vhrctg2xdepjw/post/3likwyromgs2i
What the ???
According to the daily calendar, Trump is hosting at 1500 reception honoring Black History Month.
After making government agencies cancel their Black History Month activities?
https://rollcall.com/factbase/trump/topic/calendar/
Two thoughts:
• They probably are getting what they voted for.
• The article only has quotes from Democratic Senators (Blumenthal and Duckworth). Why are there not comments from the Republican majority on the Veterans Affairs committees?
‘On the backs of veterans’: Senators rail against federal workforce purge as vets hit hard by cuts
Trump/Zelenskyy thread:
https://bsky.app/profile/did:plc:ip72i3qq2vq6qrjh3dky4vhb/post/3lijw3o33322f
…
https://bsky.app/profile/ki-insights.bsky.social
The depths of Trump’s ignorance are so unfathomable, I’d be willing to bet he couldn’t tell you who said the following quote if you stuck a gun to his head. “Caesar had his Brutus, Charles I had his Cromwell, and George III may profit by their example.”
@SC_Birdflyte: I have to admit that I had to Google the quote.
@SC_Birdflyte:
I don’t know, either. Sounds like Mark Twain, but that’s a chronotemporal* impossibility. So I’d guess it was Franklin, who’s the next best aphorism source to Twain.
Now see what Bing says… Ah, Patrick Henry. I’d no idea.
*Not a real word, but I bet over 3/4 of the commentariat knew what I meant.
Free Speech needs boundaries.
@Paul L.:
Beg pardon, but what relation do restriction on sales of combat knives have to free speech?
@JohnSF:
Because Rule, Britannia! More authoritarian nonsense from Europe.
Combat knives? Really?
Yes, really.
And Under 18’s have been banned from buying knives with blades longer than 3″ for decades.
That law is now being enforced more firmly on online retailers.
And yes, the UK, like many other European states, is somewhat authoritarian, and always has been.
It happens to be the prefence of the majority of the British people, who, in contrast to many Americans, are not inclined so much towards liberalism.
Here is a depressing thought from The New Republic, I had not thought of.
Probably paywalled though.
“TNR”
Some examples follow, Inflation Reduction Act, EPA, Department of Education, CFPB. Congress is being bombarded by calls from constituents complaining.
@charontwo:
I’ve been wondering about this. No one likes it when the government stops providing a service they want or need, or distributing goods or supports they want or need. That can be bad politics and lead to electoral losses. Like losing both the House and Senate in 2026.
I see two ways this can go:
1) The chief nazi and the felon will hand out subsidies and other goodies to their base. As the felon did with subsidies to agribusiness hurt by his tariffs in his first term
2) Some form of mass suppression to either suspend or rig the midterm elections. Given how local US elections are, suspension seems far more likely.
2.1) especially in states with a legislature dominated by the GQP, elections can be rigged by the sola legislatura “theory” republiqans love to think is real and reasonable. However they go about it, especially when they overturn legitimate results, will be struck down by all courts, until they reach the Crow & Leo court. Then it won’t be quite Carte Blanche if anything remains of Roberts’ conscience, but it may as well be.
@charontwo: Thanks for that link. That thought had not occurred to me. 😐
@JohnSF: Years ago, Luddite and I went to a pro wrestling show in Seattle. In those days, I worked in warehousing and carried a 4-inch folding knife on a belt scabbard. I had come directly from work that day and was a little surprised when one of the police officers working security stopped us and asked me if I would be so kind as to take my knife off my belt before I entered the arena.
It turned out that I was carrying a concealed weapon and needed to secure it better. (I agree. People like Luddite and me go to wrestling matches. I don’t want crazies grabbing my knife off my belt so they can run up and stab the “heel” during the main event. 🙁 )
About the Adams case, can the judge dismiss the charges with prejudice?
That would be the next best thing to not dismissing the charges at all, given the DOJ cannot be forced to stage ana equate prosecution and all. But if they can’t bring the charges up again if Adams misbehaves or insults the felon or changes his mind, the DOJ may not want to go along.
@Jim X 32:
On the plus side, Susan Collins is ‘concerned’. So we’ve got that going for us.
Mitch McConnell has announced that he’s retiring.
Thanks for nothing Mitch. I hope the leopard eats your face on the way out.
@CSK: He could have stopped all this. He could have been the one to save America. Instead, he chose his own self-interest, and instead of saving America he has damned it.
I wonder if he has any sense of shame, watching what he could have prevented unfolding in front of us. Do his far-too-little and far-too-late “No” votes on Trump nominees indicate he may?
I doubt it, and what difference would it make anyway? Again, far too little, far too late.
He’ll probably shuffle off this mortal coil before long, so he won’t have to suffer with the rest of us. Too bad. He deserves more of the suffering than anyone.
This is fun: Judge asks if ‘unadulterated animus’ is driving Trump’s trans troop ban
More fun later.
President Doughboy has jumped on the DOGE rebate bandwagon, suggesting 20% of the savings go back to taxpayers. Not the $5000 Elmo talked about, but still.
Actual estimates of DOGE savings based on real analysis seem to be somewhere in the $2-8B range.
So benefit of the doubt…let’s say $10B.
$10,000,000,000 x 20% = $2,000,000,000.
$2B/153,000,000 taxpayers = $13.00
Not enough for a 12-pack.
Enjoy.
Let’s say the DOGE claim of $55B is accurate…laughable but let’s just say. That works out to $71.80. It would likely cost more to process the checks. Assuming there’s anyone to process them after DOGE is done.
Elmo’s promise of $5,000 per…about 3/4 of a trillion dollars.
Please feel free to check my math.
@Rob1: This is what is at the heart of MAGA. They are “Punch down, suck up people”. Like all bullies, they are cowards. And Trump is the most cowardly of all. Punch back is the only response that will work.
Is anyone else having trouble reaching Memeorandum? I’ve tried on 2 devices and 3 browsers starting last night and it keeps timing out with the message that the server is taking too long to respond.
@Scott:
What the? He was just finishing his orientation. What performance?
It would be really great to establish a online “termination letters for performance” for Trump, Vance, Johnson, Musk, Hegseth, Bondi, Homan et.al.” Add a provision for people to sign in agreement.
@charontwo:
That “magic” somehow dissipated this last election.
@Rob1: I don’t agree with every policy initiative AOC supports, but man, she understands people and politics and how to message so very well.
I endorse the statement you quoted wholeheartedly. Consider how it applies to your later post about termination of someone who just finished orientation. It’s obvious bad faith, but it’s meant to “look good”. As in, “Trump fired 10,000 people!!!” I don’t think he cares at all if there are lawsuits and reinstatements, etc. Those won’t get the headlines that “Trump fired 10,000 people!!!” did. And it isn’t his money, after all.
@CSK: A commenter elsewhere reminds me that in 2016 Obama asked McConnell to jointly disclose and condemn Russian election meddling. McConnell refused. The first of several opportunities to get rid of Trump that Democrats handed Moscow Mitch.
There are times I wish I was religious. It would be comforting to imagine McConnell roasting in hell for eternity. Did more to destroy our democracy than anyone except Trump, and unlike Trump, McConnell knew what he was doing.
@Daryl: Not a half rack, no. But enough for a mocha and a marzipan croissant…
Well, a small mocha…
but no tip for the barista.
@just nutha:
That’s too bad, I understand tips are no longer taxable. Oh…wait…
@Rob1:
I wish the mainstream media would go here.
While I largely agree with the piece, linking to the Prospect basically ends any discussion.
@gVOR10: The kindest thing you can say about McConnell’s actions is that he was stuck in a 2003 political mindset and was too clueless to extrapolate the GOP trajectory.
I don’t understand Trump’s opposition to congestion pricing in Manhattan. I have never lived nor worked there, but I have visited a lot as a pure tourist and to attend professional meetings. Congestion pricing makes tourism/meetings more pleasant. Trump’s NYC properties rely heavily on tourism. Why is he against making tourism more pleasant?
If you live/work in Manhattan, I think that there is a good chance that accommodating us out of towners is an economic plus for the city.
@gVOR10:
I don’t, in a way, understand McConnell’s protection of Trump, since it’s been screechingly obvious since 2016 that McConnell regards Trump with utter contempt–and a touch of sardonic amusement. I suppose it’s party allegiance.
But then impeaching Trump would have given McConnell President Pence, whom you’d think he would find far more palatable.
I don’t get it. Fear of the revenge of the crazed MAGAs? It’s a legit one, I guess.
Patel has been confirmed as FBI director. Shit. Well, we knew this was coming.
@CSK:
The rapist is entitled to have the enforcer he wants.
An exploration of Musk, Trump etc. NAZI bona fides:
https://www.thehandbasket.co/p/nazis-musk-kliger
@reid: And now that I’ve seen that McConnell voted to confirm Patel (apparently so Collins can safely get her “concern” vote in), he can… well, this is a family blog.
It’s clear McConnell doesn’t like Trump, or what he stands for.
I wonder then, if McConnell carries any regrets. I doubt he regrets shutting down the Garland nomination, he got what he wanted, which was repeal of Roe v. Wade.
However, perhaps he regrets not voting, after Jan 6, to remove Trump from office. My guess is that he made a political calculation that Trump was finished anyway, so there was no need to stick his neck out. Boy, was he wrong abuot that. But that’s what I think. What does he think?
@Jay L Gischer:
I speculated on this a few posts above. Maybe he’s just alarmed by the possibility of being offed by a MAGA. Remember “hang Mike Pence” and “we’re going to find Nancy Pelosi and put a bullet in that bitch’s head”?
There’s a story that when Maximilian considered Napoleon III’s offer to be emperor of Mexico*, his wife argued for it by saying “Better to be the mouse’s had than the lion’s tail.”
By siding with Mad Vlad, the felon is demonstrating he’d rather be the rat’s tail than the lion’s head.
Weird.
*What’s funny is he was Mexico’s second emperor.
@just nutha:
When I worked in a warehouse, I also often had a largish knife on my person.
Slicing of shrinkwrap, cutting of bindings, picking of fingernails, etc
When I left said warehouse, I locked it in the desk.
Walking down the street with it in my belt would have left Mr Policeman decidedly unamused.
@just nutha:
Also, when younger, we had about the house (hung up on the wall) a genuine Gurkha knife.
Dad acquired it as a gift during the war from a Gurkha officer “just in case.”
Used to have it strapped to his chest when flying over Burma; along with a pair of revolvers.
Lol; there was a photo of his aircraft crew with their various personal weapons (iirc included two folding stock carbines, a pump action shotgun, a couple of automatic pistols, and a sub-machine gun) looking like a right bunch of pirates.
For good reason: some others of that squadron who ended up forced down in Burma were executed by the Japanese.
I don’t think it would ever have occurred to him that such items had any place in civilian life.
As with most others of his, and the grandfathers, generations, who were closely acquainted with the use of weapons.
My brother now has that knife, locked up in display case, with other memorabilia.
@CSK: In 2027. He’s got a year to change his mind. Call us when the filing date has passed.
Revealed: NIH research grants still frozen despite lawsuits challenging Trump order
Glad to see Nature finally reporting on this. Free archived version above.
Sorry that we live in a world where Federal Register posts (lack thereof) are relevant topics for OTB. And yet, and yet…
@JohnSF: Too far to walk. Always drove home. To a garage for my car.
And no desk (or locker). I was straight labor. No frills.
@reid:
Yep, only Murkowski and Collins voted ‘no.’
Republicans said ‘yes’ to tearing apart the Federal Government.
This is what they’ve dreamed of, this is their chance to actually see it happen.
@Slugger: With respect to trump’s opposition to congestion pricing in Manhattan, I think it’s a matter of who he’s trying to pander to between now and the midterm elections. According to one outlet, Here’s What the Public Thinks of congestion pricing:
So maybe his people see it as a way to help keep Mike Johnson Speaker of the House after 2026.
Trump brings his brand of thuggery and extortion to our White House. Total Disgrace. Shameful.
@Daryl:
Discussion with who? MAGA, MAGA adjacent? One could do worse than consider the content at American Prospect, especially in these times.
@Rob1: I see the complaint as another example of the adage that the center is where progress goes to die, but then again, I would see it that way.
@Jay L Gischer:
I think a whole lot of people thought Trump was finished especially among Dems, liberals. If Biden had a clue on this matter, he might not have chosen Merrick Garland. This could have gone so differently.
@Rob1: Also from the Guardian article:
This followed Zelenskyy offering Trump mineral partnership, seeking security:
However, trump’s counter-offer is something like, “Sure, you give us what you propose, but we don’t promise anything in return, and we get to make a deal with your enemy.”
@Eusebio: Zelenskyy had a good idea, appeal to Trump’s transactional soul. But it was also a sign of weakness to make any offer at all, and Trump is a person who responds to a sign of weakness with a demand for yet more weakness.
There is….no hope. I spent all day working cattle with people who have no idea what a trillion dollars is. They think that Elon’s gonna send them a check for that 55 imaginary billion.
At least when I die, I’ll know that I’ve died better than Drew. I really died keeping people alive thru my cattle and my chickens.
Imagine being Drew. Or Trump/Musk. Or JD Vance.
Mitch McConnell. I hope he suffers. He deserves every square inch of hell.